TELLING OUR STORIES

Volume 1, Issue 4, September 1, 2010 published by South Peace Regional Archives

Inside This Issue: Letter from the Editor p. 2 Contact Information p. 2 Greenview Archival Records Survey p. 3 Museums Preserving Archives p. 4 Ridgevalley Cooperative Assoc. p. 5 Pass the Cheese, Please by Fran Moore p. 6 Explore the History of Sturgeon Lake p. 8 The Lee Pooler collection p. 12 A Handful of Memories by Peggy Mair p. 14

In Honour of Remembrance Day-- Above, “An Army Sense of Humour”. See article on the Lee Pooler collection, pg. 12. Ben Hall Story p. 16 John Peters Story p. 17 Would you like to receive this news- What Archives Do and Why p. 18 letter four times a year? Society & Member News p. 19 It comes in the mail when you are a member of the South Peace Regional Archives Society. See the Membership Renewal & Application p. 20 Membership Form on the back of the newsletter.

“Growing Up Albertan”

Join us at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 2, 2010 in the Grande Prairie Museum Community Room for an evening of memories about growing up in the South Peace, featuring a variety of live speakers, stories, photographs, and film. Film clips are from the collections of the Griff James family in Grande Prairie and the Gordon & Anne Donaldson family in Eaglesham. CELEBRATING ARCHIVES WEEK IN September 1, 2010 TELLING OUR STORIES Dear Members & Supporters; PUBLISHED BY As the editor of this newsletter, one of my priviledg- es is to pick what gets published. South Peace Regional Archives Society You may have noticed that each issue includes a PRESIDENT map which attempts to record the old farming com- Irene Nicolson munities in relationship to older trails and modern roadways. This became a passion of mine when I TREASURER noticed that almost all the signs in the countryside Don Gourlay, M.D. of Greenview had to do with current oil patch activity. I wanted to protest that the countryside held so much more, most SECRETARY of which has disappeared. Janet Peterson Prior to 1950, the population in the Peace Country was largely rural, served by country stores and post VICE PRESIDENT offices, community halls and cemeteries, one-room Judy Ross schools and small churches, and if you were on the railway, by railway stations and elevator companies. DIRECTORS Yad Minhas, City of Grande Prairie Although the Community History books do an excel- Pat Jacobs, County of Grande Prairie lent job of recording the histories of their communities Stan Bzowy, M.D. of Spirit River (and no resource is used more often at the Archives), Daryl White, GPRC often there is no map showing the layout of the public Gord Mackey, Teepee Creek and commercial buildings. By researching the history Beth Sande, Beaverlodge books and using maps and plans from Alberta Lands, I am attempting to re-create the layout of the rural MAILING ADDRESS farming communities. This task is very difficult to do from research alone, South Peace Regional Archives so if you are from one of these rural farming commu- Box 687, Grande Prairie, AB. nity and can remember where public buildings were T8V 3A8 located, we would love for you to draw a map of your own area. Telephone 780-830-5105 E-mail [email protected] We are also very interested in records and photo- graphs related to these communities. One of the aims www.southpeacearchives.org behind the Archival Records Surveys was to uncover archival records from them, but I am sad to say we did The purpose of the SPRA Society is to not find much. promote and encourage the apprecia- Let’s not neglect the preservation of our rural roots! tion and study of the history of the south Country by acquiring, Sincerely, preserving and making accessible to Mary Nutting, Archivist the public, records in any format which South Peace Regional Archives reflect the history of this area. 2 Greenview Archival Records Survey

The Municipal District of Greenview No. 16 Ar- of other organizations and archives, such as South chival Records Survey was a project designed to Peace Regional Archives, Societe Historique et Ge- document the archival material existing within the nealogique de , Glenbow Archives of boundaries of the M.D., as well as in the Towns, Alberta, the Provincial Archives of Alberta, and/or Hamlets and Communities. Library and Archives Canada. We found this to be the case with most of the school records. Between July and December in 2009, surveyor Ann Martfeld traveled all over the M.D. looking for The records which are of most concern are those original documents relating to the settlement and relating to defunct organizations and rural commu- development of the area. Because her strategy was nities. The records of organizations which once pro- to follow the creator of the records, she visited mu- vided many of our social and recreational facilities nicipal governments, , and local organi- are often preserved by the last executive members zations. She also interviewed many individuals about who, realizing the importance of that history, hang their own personal collections and the whereabouts on to the records. We are encouraging these organi- of the records of defunct organizations. zations to archive their records with a parent orga- nization or an archives such as South Peace Regional The results of the survey show that one of the Archives. largest archival records holders in the M.D. are the municipal governments. They presrve minutes and Even more at risk is the evidence of our rural com- bylaws, tax and assessment records, financial re- munities—the general stores, highway garages, post cords, building and development permits, maps, and offices and community halls which were once the often have a collection of scrapbooks and/or photo- center of rural life. There appears to be very little graphs that detail the history of their town. Some of of this record left, except in family collections and the records are restricted by legislation, but some of memory, and it is very difficult to access. The excep- the most informative, such as the minutes are open tion is the records of the community halls which are to the public. They also have cemetery records for mostly with the hall boards. The cemetery records the cemeteries they are responsible for. appear to be mostly in the hands of the organiza- tions or individuals looking after the cemeteries. The next largest collectors are the museums and Sometimes there is a copy at the district office, but historical societies, which often have research col- this does not appear to be consistent. lections about the families and groups in their area as well as the records of individuals and organiza- Family collections have some of the earliest and tions. most interesting documents, and the most exten- sive photograph collections. These personal collec- Although there was virtually no access to First Na- tions can be quite extensive. They are often handed tions records because of privacy issues, we found down in the family as part of the family history. that many of the First Nations groups are focused on preserving their own stories, and there are some The goal of this survey was to educate the general excellent websites that give access to their history. public and holders of records about archives in gen- eral and the South Peace Regional Archives specifi- The surveyor found that a large body of records cally. In this we feel we were successful. had already been archived and were in the holdings 3 Museums & Historical Societies Preserving Archives

When it comes to collecting and preserving the re- Clarkson Valley School District 4663 cords of rural communities, local museums and his- Cornwall School District 4700 torical societies have a crucial role. They are mem- Darwin School District 4639 bers of the given community and have a interest East Smoky School District 4198 in history, so are naturally the ones local residents Edson Trail School District 4082 go to with historical materials. A good example is Harper Creek School District 4968 the DeBolt & District Pioneer Museum, where Fran Mountain Springs School District 4640 Moore is the go-to person for history. North Goodwin School District 5002 Ravenna School District 4822 The Greenview Archival Records Survey docu- Ridgevalley School District 4563 mented archival material from the following collec- Simonette School District 4750 tions at DeBolt: Smoky Valley School District 4822 DeBolt & District Pioneer Museum Society Sturgeon Heights School District 4606 Administrative records Sturgeon Lake School District 4858 Photograph collections Calais (Valleyview) School District 3992 Library Edson Trail Maps For each collection we receive from them, we Caroline Kramps collection write an Agency History or Biographical Sketch, ar- Goodwin Livestock Improvement Association range the materials in series, and describe each DeBolt Beautification Society series, as in the example on the opposite page. We United Church of Canada also re-house the materials in acid-free envelopes, East Smoky Legion folders and boxes, digitize any photographs, and up- Spirit of the Peace Museums Association load the photographs and a description of the col- DeBolt & District Agricultural Society leciton to the web. We then store the collection. Frank Stevenson Funeral Card Albums On the web, the materials are available to both Because DeBolt Museum staff and volunteers do the DeBolt Museum and any other researchers who not have the time or the specific storage required want to access them. to preserve their paper records, they routinely send Looking back over this page, it is evident that the archival collections to the archives. To date, we have history of the rural community of DeBolt is quite processed the following collections for them: well documented, with some spillover on the com- the Musuem’s Publication files munities around them. This is thanks to the efforts C.E. Calberry of the DeBolt & District Pioneer Museum Society. Charlie and Winnie Moore SPRA is very happy to be partners with them. DeBolt Country Club East Smoky Recreation Board The Greenview Survey also documented several Goodwin Co-op historical societies which are collecting archival ma- Ridgevalley Co-operative Association terials in their own communities. Hats off to Grande East Smoky School Division No. 54 Cache Historical Society, and the Fox Creek Historical Society. 4 Ridge Valley Cooperative Association fonds. – 1938-1945. – 32 cm of textual records. Agency History The Ridge Valley Co-operative Association was formed on April 8, 1939 for the purpose of establishing a Cheese Factory in the Ridge Valley District of the Peace River Country. The organizers were mainly Menno- nite farmers who had come to the area in the 1920s: P.I. Loewen, Gerry DeVeer, A. Bartel, Jasper Bronson, Abe T. Reimer, Aaron F. Reimer, Joe Taylor and Ger. Thiessen. Shares were sold to settlers in the area at a value of $25.00 each, which could be paid for in cash or by work in lieu of cash. There were 45 initial sub- scribers. The business was administered by an executive board of five people elected by the shareholders. A frame building was built on land donated by Joseph Taylor on the south edge of SW 14-71-26-W5, beside Deep Creek which was dammed to provide water for steam. There was also an air cooled cold storage room where the cheese was stored and aged. Operating money to start the venture was borrowed from the Linden Cheese Co-op in southern Alberta, and the factory opened in 1939. Garnet Summers was the first cheese maker. Milk was purchased from local producers who depended on ice houses to cool the milk and keep it sweet, as there was no refrigeration. For many of these farmers, it was the only regular cash income they received. The Cheddar Cheese product was made daily and sold to individuals as well as being shipped to Swift’s in Edmonton and Horne & Pitfield in Grande Prairie. By 1941, the total annual production was 44,000 lbs of cheese. In 1942, the group considered incorporation. At the time there were 27 milk shippers and they were processing 2,300 to 2,500 lbs of milk per day. In 1945 there were 51 members in the association, but in 1948, the factory closed due to competition from the Northern Alberta Dairy Pool, who could offer a better price for raw milk. Scope and Content The fonds consists of executive records, financial records, correspondence, labour records, and printed ma- terials from associated organizations. Series descriptions are as follows: 161.01 Executive records. – 1938-1945. – 2 cm of textual records. The series consists of a letter of relin- quishment from Joseph Taylor regarding the land for the cheese factory, a description of the operation along with a 1941 financial statement, a few minutes from an undated year, employee contracts, insurance policies, tax notices and receipts, receipts for purchase of shares, share statements and transfers, and op- erational reports submitted to various levels of government. 161.02 Financial records. – 1939-1945. – 14 cm of textual records. The series consists of financial state- ments from 1941-1944, financial ledgers, records of cheese sales and milk purchased, accounts receivable and general expenses. 161.03 Correspondence. – 1939-1946. – 3 cm of textual records. The series consists of correspondence be- tween the Ridge Valley Co-op and the Government of Alberta as well as their sister co-op in Linden. Subjects include the hiring of a cheese maker, incorporation of the business and Dairy Commissioner directives. 161.04 Labour records. – 1941-1945. – 1 cm of textual records. The series consists of tenders and bills for cutting and supplying firewood for the factory, unemployment insurance records, letters regarding wages and hours of work regulations and employing veterans, and copies of the 1943 Unemployment Insurance Act and the 1943 Workman’s Compensation Act along with forms, payment receipts and correspondence. 161.05 Associated Organizations. – 1938-1945. – 2 cm of textual records. The series consists of printed material from organizations such as the Alberta Department of Agriculture, the Wartime Prices and Trade Board, and the Consumer Cooperative Association which would have affected decisions made. 5 Pass The Cheese, Please

by Fran Moore, DeBolt & District Pioneer Museum Society

Old-timers still say, “Garnet Summers made good cheese”. Yes, there was a cheese factory in the South Peace, the Ridgevalley Coop Cheese Factory that operated between 1939 and 1948, at Crooked Creek, Alberta. Farmers had a surplus of milk and no market for it, when they heard from friends and relatives in Linden, Alberta where people were able to make a profit selling milk to a cheese factory. They formed a coop ($25.00 per share) in 1937. Members could pay in cash or by logging, sawing lumber or build- ing. They began building and borrowed operating money from the Linden Cheese Coop. The factory was located on the south edge of SW14-71-26-W5. The board of the cheese factory were mostly from the Mennonite community, but included some other neighbors, whose names included: DeVeer, Reimer, Hauff, Loewen, Bartel, Bronson, Taylor, Thiessen, Esau, Ratzlaff, Klassen and Fast. The cheese factory was built beside the Deep Creek in which a dam was built to maintain a wa- ter supply. The water was filtered through sand and gravel leading to a well. The water supply was also of great importance because steam heat was need- ed for the curding of cheese. In high water often the dam was damaged and needed considerable repair. Garnet Summers, with some of the trophies and Thanks to ‘Mother Nature’, the beavers moved in ribbons his cheese was awarded. and took on the repair job. award-winning cheese maker. His services were fol- Much could be said about the early hardships of lowed by cheese maker, Mr. McKinley, then Dave Fri- the cooling and delivering of milk. Without deep esen, and then once again, Garnet Summers. Don- wells for real cold water and no electricity, it was ald Dierker did apprentice with Garnet for a while. hard to cool milk fast and keep it good. Many of the milk shippers had ice houses. Ice was taken out and The Summers family moved from southern Al- added to the tubs or barrels where the milk cans berta and included Mrs. Summers, son Merle, and were cooling. Often milk was hauled by wagon and daughters Betty Lou, Lorraine and Yvonne. The chil- by buggy. dren attended Ridgevalley school. They lived ina house (still standing) that was located close to the Cheese was made daily. Garnet Summers was an cheese factory. 6 It is believed that cheese was made and sold just under $.20 a pound and that the price for milk was about $.70 cwt when the factory fist opened. This income for many was the only real cash income they received. Cheese from the factory was sold to Horne and Pittfield Wholesalers, and Frank Ratzlaff hauled much of the The Ridge Valley Cheese Factory ca. 1940. cheese as he was one of the first truckers. Cheese was also sold to other small grocery stores and to individual customers. In 1948 many milk shippers were realizing a slightly better price for their raw milk in Grande Prai- rie at N.A.D.P. In time N.A.D.P. took on more milk shippers. So on October 1, 1948 the cheese factory closed and remained closed. Records show that in 1948 twenty eight boxes of cheese weighing 2,337 pounds were sold for $747.84. There were about twenty milk shippers left this last year and the price of milk was $2.04 - $2.13 cwt, with cheese makers wages that year being $125.00 per month. er items, with the story of this unique business told Some of this information has been taken from all around the walls. The DeBolt Museum thanks Across the Smoky, the DeBolt & District Pioneer Mu- two ladies for the boxes of records: Mrs. Thiessen seum Societies first history book. Contrary to what and Mrs. Isaac, also Mr. Charlie Coulter for the steam it says in the book, the records of the cheese factory engine, and Mr. Alfred Reimer for the collection of were not lost. They were kept at a couple different items. The machine that measured butter-fat qual- homes in Crooked Creek, and then forwarded to the ity of the milk was sold to Billy Rogers a dairy man in DeBolt Museum, who in turn forwarded them to the Valleyview, and this has now be donated back to the new South Peace Regional Archives. (If you want to community--it is in the display, also. look at any of these records, just visit the archives.). The DeBolt & District Pioneer Museum is open Also, some of the equipment from the Ridgeval- two days a week year round, but the buildings in ley Coop Cheese Factory was saved and donated to Hubert Memorial Park (where the cheese factory the DeBolt Museum. There is a display (behind the is) are only open seasonally, mid-May through mid- white door) that includes the steam engine from the September. Phone 957-3955 for hours open. cheese factory, and there is a collection of many oth- 7 Explore the History of Sturgeon Lake

Author’s note: Most of the information for this ar- We are now in the Sturgeon Lake Indian Re- ticle came from “Journey to the Milennium”, the his- serve 154, and homes and gardens can be glimpsed torical display about the Valleyview area housed at through the trees on the one side, and the lake the Valleyview Library and Gallery, the text and pho- through the trees on the other side. Captain’s Cove tographs of which are archived at SPRA. The num- is next. In 1877, the HBC post at Lesser Slave estab- bers refer to what part of the collection the informa- lished a “flying post” on Sturgeon Lake with the “Old tion came from. See www.southpeacearchives.org Captain” in charge of a band of hunters. His house for more information. was “across the bay” from the main settlement, pos- sibly here at Captain’s Cove. Sturgeon Lake is the scene of some of the earli- est interactions between First Nations and European Next around the lake is Calais. When the Reserve settlers in the south Peace. It was a favoured fish- was surveyed in 1907, this land belonged to three ing and hunting base, first for the Beaver then for Metis hunters. In the 1930s, it was the location of the First Nation; and after the first fur trade Tom Kerr’s home, store and cabins. It was also where post was set up on around 1800, the Sturgeon Lake Sports were celebrated. Les a good source for supplying the fur trade posts with McLaughlin, in Grandaddy of the Peace described meat and furs. After 1870, the Beaver and Cree were the sports as “A highlight of the summer.... There joined by Metis of various ethnic origins, including were horse races, tee dances, and many games. The Iroquois and Assiniboine. most fun was the tug of war, a simple sport but very effective in showing off team spirit. Tom Kerr always Coming from the west on Highway 43, the first set up a stand during Sports Days. His variety of turn-off into Sturgeon Lake is on Rge Rd 251, which pop and candy was a big hit with the crowd. People heads around the west bay to Young’s Point Provin- came from all over the Peace Country by horse and cial Park. Here a community hall and old church is all car to take part in the games. Native people built that is left of Sturgeon Heights, which once boasted traditional teepees and served traditional foods dur- three service stations, a store, cafe and school as ing Sports Day. The sweet smell of bannock fired in well. The cemetery still exists in a grove of spruce bacon or moose grease lingered in the warm spring trees on the south side of the highway. The land air. They served moose stew in large helpings, but north of the highway now belongs to the Nature certainly not on paper plates....” (175.026 ) In 1932, Conservancy of Canada. Arthur Taylor built a dance hall, cabaret and confec- Following the route of the old Edson Trail, we con- tionery by the lake. The Northern Tribune reported tinue east on Highway 43 and go north on Twp Rd on May 17, 1934 “Empire Day, Thursday, May 24, is 704, which was surveyed in 1932 (the black boxes the day set for the official opening and a program on the map show where homes and buildings were of sports is being arranged to precede the big dance at that date). The well-gravelled road leads through at Taylor’s Pavilion in the evening. The famous Lake a forest, past Rge Rd 250 which provides access to Orchestra has been re-organized and no expense Cosy Cove, then Rge Rd 245 to Sturgeon Lake Bible nor effort will be spared to make it the best dance Camp and the Riverview Golf Course, and finally, Rge band in the district.... Thursday, May 24, is the date Rd 244 which leads to The Narrows and Boyd’s Lake when the greatest blues-chasing resort in the district Properties. This is cottage country. Camping is avail- hangs up its welcome sign.” (175.086) able at Sturgeon Lake Campground and Captain’s The small cluster of homes remaining on the Cove; and Williamson Provincial Park is day use. 8 shore of the lake at Calais is where Keillar’s Resort sion on the lake shore. The Oblate fathers had been was developed after the war. It began with seven visiting the area since 1884, and built the church in little log cabins, which were gradually replaced by 1905. They added a Mission Farm behind the mis- more modern cabins. Calais was a popular resort sion building where they produced grains, garden during the 1950s, and Kate Keillar recalls one Sun- crops and raised livestock. The Residential School day when they served “30 gallons of ice cream in also accepted day students such as the Bodeker, cones, 20 lbs. Of wieners in buns and 40 lbs of ham- Kerr and Williamson children, whose families were burgers in buns with nothing but an old wood stove resident around the lake. to cook on.” (175.030) Metis families, such as Eli and Eva Badger and The 1930s was, perhaps, the busiest time at Stur- their three sons, Paul, Alex and Dan, were among geon Lake. “Sturgeon Lake Whitefish were consid- the area’s first settlers. They were experts at build- ered by many to be the finest whitefish in Alberta. ing log cabins, craftwork such as snowshoes, and During the 1930s a major winter commercial fishery gardening. Paul’s wife, Emily Montagnais, was a developed at Sturgeon Lake to supply eastern Cana- famous Metis midwife. Paul Badger raised the first dian and American markets. Whitefish was iced and crops in the area, about 1905, on his land at Red Wil- trucked or flown out of Sturgeon Lake by ski plane. low Creek (now Valleyview). (175.15) The market disappeared in the 1950s...“ (175.055) Now there is only an abandoned store on the Crossing the bridge over Goose Creek, we fol- south side of the road, with a faded “Ogilvie Flour” low the curve north around the lake through Stur- sign. This was the Williamson Trading Post, and geon Lake Settlement. This is the heart of historic the site of the first post office in 1911 when it was Sturgeon Lake, where modern homes surround the owned by Revillon Freres. (175.022) On the next few remaining historic buildings. The first fur trade site, the St. Frances Xavier Church marks where the post was established by the Hudson’s Bay Company Mission and Residential School once stood, with the in 1877 (175.020). By 1879, when George Dawson Mission Farm stretching out behind it. Across from came through the area via an established Indian trail the church is a large cemetery on the bank of the across the Wapiti and Smoky Rivers, a settlement had lake, the graves marked by wooden crosses. It is been established there with a few log homes and flanked by two smaller graveyards. In 1920, Clough’s several gardens containing barley, potatoes, turnips, Store (175.053) was established just north of the carrots, beets and onions. The settlement increased HBC on land once occupied by the Royal North West substantially in the early 1880s and by the time the Mounted Police. At this time the Bodeker family ran NWMP conducted their first inspection tour in 1897, the Hudson’s Bay Co. Store (1921-1931). In the 30s, there were about 40 homes and 4 fur trade posts, the Sturgeon Lake Café, run by the Suek family, took including the Hudson’s Bay Company compound of the place of Clourgh’s Store. shop, fish house and factor’s house. Where the main road curves south, take Rge Rd After Treaty No. 8 was signed in 1899, Sturgeon 233 north past where the Girl Guides and Navy Ca- Lake Indian Reserve No. 54 was established beside dets once had group camps. Continuing north you the lake. Sturgeon Lake Settlement was surveyed can turn west and visit Sandy Bay or east back to in 1907, with lake-front property granted to the Highway 43. I hope you enjoyed your tour of historic HBC, the RNWMP, the Roman Catholic Mission and Sturgeon Lake. Revillon Freres Trading Co. Metis families living in Sources: “Journey to the Millenium” (fonds the settlement prior to 1907 were also granted 40 175 at South Peace Regional Archives); and acres each (175.071). That same year, the Residen- Where the Red Willow Grew. tial School was established at St. Francis Xavier Mis- 9 Explore the History of Sturgeon Lake

Legend: ------trails ===== roadways __ . __ boundary lines building

Sources: Alberta Lands Survey Plans & Township maps Municipal District of Greenview No. 16 Sheet 2, DeBolt Area map Alberta Road Atlas by MapArt Publishing 10 11 The Lee Pooler collection

Lee Pooler was a weath- erman with the United States Army Air Force who was stationed at the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals Repeater Station on the old Valleyview-High Prairie Road during World War II. This sta- tion was later moved to the north side of Valleyview. His collection at the archives in- cludes an oral history of his experiences there, a hand- drawn map of where the The long low log building above is the Royal Ca- repeater station was, and 22 photographs taken in nadian Corps of Signals Repeater Station at Little 1942, some of which are shown here. Smoky during the second World War. Behind it is On the front cover: An Army Sense of Humour. the maintenance building, and the weather sta- The Repeater Station personnel took great delight tion. SPRA 294.02 is scaring the new weather station personnel when they were in the outhouse, by shooting at the build- ing. They took care not to shoot through the roof, as they did not want to be dripped on when they were in the outhouse. SPRA 294.06

Above: Jeep crossing the bridge at Little Smoky. Supplies, such as gasoline and groceries for the Re- peater Station and Weather Sta- tion at Little Smoky were brought in from High Prairie. 294.08 Left, an Alaska Highway Convoy Truck, bound from Edmonton to Dawson Creek and the Alaska highway, stopped in front of the temporary weather station and behind the Repeater Station at Little Smoky. 294.04 12 The weather station at Valleyview, above, was a pre-fab Army Signal Corps building with barracks for four men and the weather report station. On the roof was an observation plat- form. Staff had to report cloud ceilings because all the planes “flew contact”, including the B25 Pursuit Planes which were being flown to Russia (many by women pilots) to help with the war effort. SPRA 294.10

Left, inside the USAAF weather station atVal- leyview during World War II. SPRA 294.15

The complete Lee Pooler collection can be seen by going to www.southpeacearchives and clicking on “ANA Database” in the right-hand column. Type Lee Pooler into the search box, read his biography and click on “View photographs” at the bottom of the page to see the pictures. Sorry, the oral history isn’t available on line—you will have to come in to the archives to listen to that.

13 A Handful of Memories

The stories on these two pages are from the pen had removed the pin that attached the double trees of Peggy Mair, who came with her parents to the Fly- to the wagon. ing Shot Lake District in 1926. No harm was really done in those days. Tricks Hallowe’en at Harvest were done in fun without any vandalism. Back in the late twenties and thirties threshing Remembrance Day Remembered was a long process. Grain was cut by a horse-drawn Back in the 1930s Remembrance Day was called binder. The bundles then had to be stooked by hand Armistice Day. We children didn’t have a holiday and left in the field to await the threshing machine from school but at two minutes to eleven we were and its crew. Usually one thresher served a whole required to stand with bowed heads for two minutes community and moved from farm to farm. Most of silence. Then we would salute the flag, the Union of the farmers helped each other by serving as the Jack, and repeat our pledge of allegiance. Children crew. Some brought their teams and hayracks to in those days were taught respect, loyalty and pa- haul the bundles to the machine while others (stook triotism in school as well as at home. pitchers) tossed the sheaves onto the load. Farmers whose farm was near the end of the list often expe- In the morning of that day, the veterans of World rienced a late completion of their harvest. This was War I paraded and held a service. My father, who the case on the Cameron farm, where the threshing had service in the British Army, wore his medals and crew arrived at Hallowe’en. proudly marched with his legion buddies. I remember this particular night because my In the evening a banquet was held to which wives mother was helping Mrs. Cameron with the cook- and older children were invited. When I was thirteen ing for the crew. The men had retired to the bunk- my parents decide that I could accompany them. house when two young ladies called on Mrs. Cam- How grown up I felt in my white crepe dress with eron. They had arrived on horseback. They tied their its powder blue collar! There was a guest speaker. mounts near the barn and came to the house for I don’t recall his speech but I do remember that tea. During conversation over tea, Mrs. Cameron he got quite excited and loud and waved his arms asked the young women if they thought their horses about a lot. At the height of his excitement some- were OK, since perhaps the men might have remem- where in the hall a cuckoo clock sounded the hour. bered that it was Hallowe’en. They opened the door I got thoroughly scolded by my mother for having a and looked toward the barn. Yes, their steeds were giggling fit. still there. Imagine their surprise when they went In my early teens daughters of ex-service men to leave and found two cows saddled and bridled in were asked to sell poppies. We received ten cents place of their horses that they later found hidden in for every dollar that we collected. Since this was a the bushes. time that depression still lingered it helped a lot. I The ladies got their revenge. Next morning one saved my earnings and sent it to Eaton’s for my first man, after searching in vain for his harness finally really new winter coat. The cost usually ran at about had to borrow some. On climbing up on his load ten dollars. Until then most of my friends and I wore of bundles, there was his harness. Another fellow hand-me-down coats. hitched up his team, climbed on his load and shook At that time little did we foresee that our genera- his lines to start up his team. The team started up tion would be called upon to serve in another war. but left him perched on the load because the girls 14 VE Day Memories One summer evening in the late thirties he was go- It was a Monday morning. I ing to pick up his sister who, had spent the weekend in town along with several other at my parents’ home and was girls including myself, were leaving to resume my teaching camping at Bear Lake. My duties at Flying Shot School. I mother and the mother of usually rode a bus that traveled one of the other girls were from town to the American Air- traveling with him to bring base at the airport. I would get us extra food supplies. off the bus three miles west of Grande Prairie and walk south Near the top of the hill, and west another three and a west of town, about where half miles to the school. Fas Gas is now situated was a house and barn owned by My mother boarded a young Albert Partlow. Mr. Partlow radio announcer. As I was about earned his living by hauling to leave he told me not to both- goods in his horse-drawn er as they would be announc- wagon. Smoke was billow- ing the war’s end. I told him I ing from the hay loft of the had to go because the children barn. Crosby stopped the would be at the school. Just as car and ran to the house to the bus approached the airport alert the owner. Since no- corner, the news came over a body seemed to be home, radio on the bus. I hiked on to he ran to the barn and led school anyway. a horse out. Then he re- When I arrived at school the turned to the barn to get the other horse. When he children began arriving. Some Above, Florence, Charles and Edith Crosby in failed to emerge, my moth- had heard the news but others front of their mother’s boarding house ca. er ran to the house and who had no radio at home had 1937. See “An Un-Sung Hero.” not. Everyone was too excited called the fire hall. Then to settle down. Near noon I gave up trying to get she summoned some passing men and told them the children to concentrate on their lessons. We all that Charles was still in the barn. The men acted im- picked up our lunches and hiked a couple of miles mediately and brought Charles and the other horse to a tiny creek and had a picnic. The next day was out. Crosby seemed to be injured so he was sent to proclaimed a holiday for everyone. the hospital. Before he left he tried to reassure the ladies by saying that he thought his arm was broken, An Un-Sung Hero but at least he’d saved the horses. In the Grande Prairie cemetery is the grave of an Sad to say, the next morning he passed away. Evi- un-sung hero. The name on the headstone is Charles dently the terrified horse had crushed him against Crosby. Charles worked for the local newspaper, The the side of the stall, causing internal injuries. Grande Prairie Herald owned by J.B. Yule. At the age of twenty-one, he hoped to follow a career in the Thus a budding newsman ended his career a newspaper business. hero.

15 were mostly women, but they were close, really Ben Hall, Germany close, frighteningly close. And then the guards came along and they rousted the crowd, and got In 2006, Alice Fortier and Bob Scott interviewed to us and told us to go down the hole underneath Ben Hall, a Royal Air Force veteran, about his expe- the tracks and hide there. So we went through the rience as a prisoner in Germany during World War crowd, and down the ramp into the underpass, and II. Both Bob Scott and Ben Hall have passed away there was a wall there and we stood there because since that interview, so we are grateful to have his they were pressing on us. I can remember the wall. story, part of which is told here. Visit the archives to It was white tile. listen to the complete interview and story. “This went on for some time. The crowd was After Ben and his crew were shot down, he getting bigger and noisier and more difficult to found himself alone in a clearing in the German for- cope with. We just kept as quiet as we could. I was est. His only hope was to walk out of Germany and scared stiff at this point. It was a pretty horrible into Switzerland, and this he attempted to do with feeling because you think, well this is it! They’re the aid of the silk map in his escape kit. He made it really going to go for you. Then the guards came to a little village where his disheveled appearance along again and told us to run again underneath drew the attention of some children who brought the tracks and hide in the dark, and we did that the police, and he was arrested. again and we stayed there until morning.” “He put me against a wall and told me to stay They were in Frankfurt about 10 days, alone and there. He was a very nice man, no problems. Whilst insolated in separate cells. When he finally went for I was there, a crowd gathered to look at this animal the interrogation , the interrogator showed Ben the who was standing by the wall. Never been so popu- identification tags from his crew. There were seven lar. I began to hear this constantly repeated phrase: in all, a complete crew. Moiderer, Terrifiger, Luftganster and Kinder, mean- ing bombing and killing our children. But the guard “I realized after why he had counted the discs came back and took me to the local jail and put me made seven, a total crew. If there had been eight, in the cell. “Are you O.K?” he said, and I said I was it would have been difficult. Cause at that time we hungry. He gave me some black bread and some had been dropping people into Germany and France coffee. “Go to sleep” he said.” as spies. So that is what they were after-these people who were going to be spies. If there was one The next day Ben was moved to a big Luftwaffe more person in the airplane they wanted to know station where there were five other RAF airmen why. In my case it didn’t occur because there were who had been shot down. Although they were fed seven men, one crew. and treated well, they were told they would have to go to the interrogation centre to be interviewed. From there I went into the main group of the So the group of six airmen, with two guards, were prisoners—airmen, soldiers, what have you. I was put on the train to Frankfurt. During the night they a prisoner of war from Feb 15, 1945 to May, 1945. ran into an RAF raid which destroyed the tracks and Then I was sent back to England. There weren’t any the railway station ahead. They had to walk to this bands playing. Nobody shouting in the streets that station where the guards left them on the platform we were heroes. All they did was pepper me with while they went to the soup kitchen to get food. disinfectant, to make sure I didn’t have any bugs, and give me a new uniform. They sent us all on “Whilst they were away we six of us stood out leave to get rid of us. Gave us double ration cards like sore thumbs in the light. And then the crowds and told us to go home. I went home and I was really started to get awkward. It was a very bored to tears, so I volunteered to go to France and unpleasant time. They started shouting the same they sent me to Marseilles where I served on the 16 thing again, Terrifiger, Luftganster, Moiderer. They ground until the end of the war. “ John Peters, Italy World War II

In 2009, Lon Rubie donated this letter written by her father, John Peters, about his experience in Italy during World War II, and a photograph of his platoon at the Grande Prairie Training Centre. “There were many times in Italy where I know that but for the grace of God I should have been one of those that were dead all around me. There was one time in particular I recall, we had advanced about 50 some miles that day and in the evening after sundown we tried to hide our convoy in a beautiful orange orchard. (Can you imagine the damage we did to that orchard?) “Anyway ‘alas’ the enemy had observed all, as we should of realized; as I am sure some of us did. Never before had I had such conviction that I should dig a trench to sleep in, and I did. Some laughed but I dug it anyway, even though I had not done this before. “The enemy came and dropped bombs on us, then after all was on fire, which gave them lots of light on the ground, they came back & strafed us with shell fire. We had no air support at all that night & it literally was hell on earth--the screams. Others from farther out who had not been hit came and shoveled the debris off of me, so I could get up. There were dead all around me, but God, I realized, had spoken and I had obeyed and that had saved my life.” 17 What Archives Do and Why We Do It

Author’s Note: In lieu of receiving any actual ques- through the “Alberta InWord” link. For descriptions tions from our readers, Mary has suggested an ex- of the records we hold, try the “ANA database” link planation of our website for you web-savvy readers on the right or the Holdings/Finding Aids link on the and researchers. If this doesn’t apply to you, please left. These descriptions will tell you what kinds of re- submit a question that does! cords you can find from a particular person or group or on a particular subject as well as give you a brief If you’ve ever tried to find a photograph from history of the collection. You can also try searching South Peace Regional Archives or wanted to find out the entire South Peace Regional Archives site using about a collection of materials held here, chances the Google search box at the very top of the page. are we directed you to our website. One of the key Follow the “Making Inquiries” link on the left side functions of archives is to provide access to material to guide you when you need to ask questions about and one of the key ways we do that is through our information in the Archives holdings. website. Also on the right side of the page is a list of links Why? Well, our website allows us to connect with to pages about our municipal and museum partners. a larger number of people in more locations than These pages give a brief description of these groups would be possible for us to reach by phone, mail, or and links to the finding aids of the records they have face-to-face contact. It also links us with Provincial donated. and National databases which broadcast our hold- ings to an even wider audience all over the world. If you want to find out more about the Archives How can people use our archives if they don’t know itself and our activities, look to the links on the left. who we are, what we have, when we are open, The “About us” link gives information about the where we are located, etc? history of the Archives and our mandate. The “So- ciety” link takes you to an information page about Here’s a quick sampling of the kinds of things you the South Peace Regional Archives Society including can find on our website. Incidentally, it would prob- society by-laws and membership information. Use ably help if I tell you what our website address is! the “Contact us” link to find a map of our location You can find us at http://www.southpeacearchives. and our open hours. org. This is called our “Home page” and it is the root from which other pages on our website are ac- If you missed out on either of our two previous cessed. The home page gives a brief description of exciting “What Archives Do and Why We Do It” col- the Archives, our contact information, announce- umns, you can find them through the “Newsletters” ments of Archives news and upcoming events, and link. (Note for avid readers: This column is always links to other pages. on page 18, although the rest of the newsletter is interesting as well). Looking for archival photographs? Click on the “Alberta InSight” link on the top right of the page. The Archives also has several products you might This will take you to a search page where you can be interested in purchasing. Try the “Ordering Re- type in what you are looking for and come up with a productions” link if you are interested in ordering page of results. We have about 4500 digitized pho- photographs, maps, digitized audio and video re- tographs on this site, which is only a fraction of our cordings, etc. Or, if books are more your style, click total holdings, but we try to upload a representa- on the “Publications” link to find a list of books pro- tive sampling of what we have. What about digitized duced by the Archives. (cont’d across page) documents? We have a few of those available too 18 Society and Member News

A lovely time was had by all on our first Walking Tour of the Grande Prairie Municipal Cemetery. Archivist Leslie Pearson led the tourwith well- researched and nformative stories. We will be doing the tour again on Tuesday, Sept. 21, this time for the Grande Prairie Branch of the Alberta Genealogical Society. Photograph courtesy of Mark Harrison Rodgers from Q99. For gravestones and stories covered by the tour, see Mark’s blog at http://www.q99live. com/dj-blog.php?id=181&mID=5134.

One of the Reasons We Have Archives A Few of Our Recent Acquisitions (from an e-mail to SPRA on August 18, 2010) Hermit Lake School history book, 1916-1977 I FOUND MY FAMILY YESTERDAY! Because of you Ellen Craig I was able to put the correct spelling into a Yahoo Canada search engine! The name that came up Original Copy of Memoirs of DW Patterson, 1956 was ***** who is a child case worker for the Garry Roessler province (Edmonton I think). I sent him an email and before the day was done his father called Peace Country Overture Concert Assoc., 1975-1986 me and this morning I talked to his father again. Sydney & Patricia Larter He and I share the same grandparents! It has been the most exciting days for me to talk to my Club 54 records, 1954-[1985] father’s side of the family. Herb Janzen I always felt so alone! It is good today! Thank you from the bottom of my heart! North Kleskun Community Club & Ladies Club Martha Gail Steinke

(cont’d from across page) Copies of 41 oral history interviews from Rycroft Joan Margel The “Links” link will take you to outside websites related to the Archives and the area we cover. Monkman Pass Highway Photographs, 1937-1939 Are you lost yet? No problem. Just click on the Frances Watt “Home” link on the left side of whatever page you are on to return to the homepage and start a new Grande Prairie Book Club, 1939-2004 adventure. Alice Lorenz 19 South Peace Regional Archives Society Membership Application Form

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South Peace Regional Archives Society Box 687, Grande Prairie, AB. T8V 3A8 Phone: 780-830-5105 Fax: 831-7371 E-mail: [email protected]